Retaining means for bezels and escutcheon plates



Nov. 2, 1937. c. E. CAESTECKER 2,097,511

" RETAINING MEANS FOR BEZELS AND ESCUTCHEON PLATES- Filed Aug. 25, 1936 Patented Nov. 2, 193? UNITEQ ears RETAINING MEANS FOR BEZELS AND ESQJUT'GHEQ'BN PLATES Charies E. Caestecker,

Chicago, Ill, assignor to Accurate Spring Mfg. Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Appiication August 25,

The present invention relates to means for securing bezels or escutcheon plates on a panel, in registration with an opening. I

Bezels and escutcheon plates have heretofore been attached to panels by various means, such as bolts, screws, brads, tines associated with the bezel or escutcheon plate, and in some instances by a force fit in the panel opening. These types of fastenings, require a substantial amount of time to install, often necessitating the drilling of holes, and measurement for proper alignment. Occasionally, it is necessary to remove a bezel or escutcheon plate, and upon replacement it is frequently found that it cannot be secured as firmly as it was initially, sometimes necessitating the relocation of the fastening elements, resulting in impairment of the finish of the face of the panel.

The present invention is directed to a novel and improved construction which obviates the foregoing difilculties, and has for an object the provision of a construction which is economical to manufacture and which permits the bezel or escutcheon plate to be quickly and easily attached to, or detached from, the panel, without any possibility of marring the finish of the face of the panel.

Another object resides in the provision of novel securing means for resiliently maintaining the bezel or escutcheon plate in relatively fixed relation to the panel.

A further object contemplates the provision of improved securing means in the form of a coil spring having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, axially offset portions positioned to react between the rear face of the panel and a shoulder of the bezel for exerting substantially uniform pressure at a plurality of circumferentially spaced points to resiliently and firmly secure the bezel or escutcheon plate in substantially fixed relation to its panel.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will appear in the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in Which:-

Figure 1 is a face view of a fragment of a panel having a bezel attached thereto by means comprising the present invention.

Figure 2 is a rear face view of the panel showing my novel fastening means.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section taken as indicated at line 3-3 on Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an end elevation of the panel and bezel mounted thereon.

In the drawing a fragmentary portion of a panel is indicated .at It, provided with a circular 1936, Serial No. 97,794.

(o1. rat-+78) opening, i I, in registration with which a bezel, I2,

is mounted onsaid panel. Saidbezel is preferably a metal stamping, and includes an annular flange, I3, the outer marginal edge of which is bent rearwardly to seat against the front face, it of the panel, surrounding the opening, and formed integrally with said flange is a body portion, M, extending through the opening beyond the rear face, Iil of the panel. Said body'portion is also of annular form, and is provided with an inwardly extending shoulder, I5, substantially parallel to the panel, It, which shoulder serves as a seat for a glass crystal or lens, I6, firmly secured in place by a spring ring, I1, seated in an annular groove, I8, formed in said body portion,

It, forwardly of shoulder, I5,-as may be seen in Figure 3. Desirably, the body portion, I I, fits rather snugly in opening, I I, of the panel to insure alignment of the bezel with devices or apparatus that may be located in back of the panel. The rear end of the body portion, extending beyond the rear face, ID of the panel, is formed with an outwardly extending flange, IQ, substantially parallel with the panel, and disposed in spaced relation to said rear side, ID of the panel to form an annular groove, 20, when the bezel is in place on the panel. The bezel, I2, is firmly and detachably secured in place on the panel by a coil of spring wire, 22, which as may be seen in the drawing, is formed with a plurality of uniformly and circumferentially spaced insetportions, 23, adapted to be seated in the groove 20, tightly hugging the body portion, I4, with the ends of the wire in substantially abutting relation. The intermediate portions, 24, of said coil are offset axially with respect to portions,'23, so that when the coil is disposed in groove, 20,,the inset portions, 23, engageshoulder, I 9, while outer portions, 24, engage the rear face, it of the panel and thereby resiliently, but firmly, maintain the face flange, I3, of the bezel tightly seated against the front face, Ill of the panel by exerting substantially uniform spring pressure at a plurality of circumferentially spaced locations.

Manifestly, the spring retainer, 22, may be quickly and easily applied or removed, to permit mounting or demounting of the bezel without possibility of impairing the finish or appearance of the frontface, Ill of the panel. To insure that the spring, 22, exerts, adequate tension on the body portion, I 4, it is initially formed to comprise slightly more than one convolution of a diameter less than its diameter when in use.

The terms bezel and escutcheon plate, as used herein and in the claims, are considered synonymous in so far as the present invention is concerned, as, obviously, the omission of the crystal, l6, and its spring, ll, of the bezel herein shown, permits properly classifying the element,

I2, as an escutcheon plate.

Although I have shown and described a certain embodiment of my invention, manifestly it is capable of modification and alteration without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. I do not, therefore, wish to be understood as limiting this invention to the precise form herein shown and described, except as I maybe so limited by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination with a panel having an opening, a bezel for said opening including a flange for engaging the front face of the panel surrounding the opening and a substantially cylindrical body portion extending through the opening beyond the rear face of the panel, said body portion beyond the rear face of the panel being formed With a continuous shoulder, and a single coil of spring wire surrounding said body portion, said wire being formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart inset portions of substantial arcuate extent adapted to resiliently engage said body portion and seat against said shoulder, and the portions of said wire intermediate said inset portions being disposed in axially offset relation thereto and adapted toengage the rear face of the panel, whereby said flange is maintained firmly seated against the front face of the panel. 7 V

2. In combination with a panel having an opening, a bezel for said opening including a flange for engaging the front face of the panel a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart inset portions adapted to seat against said shoulder and firmly embrace said body portion, and the portions of said wire intermediate said inset portions being disposed in axially offset relation thereto and adapted to engage the 'rear face of the panel, whereby said flange is maintained firmly seated against the front face of the panel.

3. In combination with a panel having an opening, a bezel for said opening including a flange for engaging the front face of the panel surrounding the opening and a body portion extending through the opening beyond the rear face of the panel, said body portion beyond the rear face of the panel being formed with a shoulder, and a single coil of spring wire surrounding said body portion, said wire being formed with a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart inset portions adapted to seat against said shoulder and firmly embrace said body portion, and. the portions of said wire intermediate said inset por-' tions being disposed in axially offset relation thereto and adapted to engage the rear face of the panel, whereby said flange is maintained firmly seated against the front face of the panel,- said intermediate portions of the wire being greater in circumferential extent than said inset portions.

CHARLES E.'CAESTECKER. 5' 

